skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Sports - Football - Premier League - West Ham 3:1 Liverpool
Well, I was a fool thinking this was three points in the bag for Liverpool before the match. It was a sour awakening and dire shakeup-and-wake-up call during and after the match.
The first half showed the trend of the match straight away: Thomas Hitzlsperger making his debut for the Hammers was a pain in the Reds' neck from the start - too fast a furious for the zoned out guests.
The German midfielder made some fine runs and breakthroughs and turned to provider on 22 when playing a neat one-two with Scott Parker, the England midfielder opened the scoring with a fine flick past Pepe Reina, his fifth league goal of the season.
Liverpool's half went from bad to worse when Martin Kelly had to come off injured and only seconds later they fell 2-0 behind after poor marking left Pepe no chance to stop Demba Ba from heading the ball into the top right hand corner off a Gary O'Neil cross.
If that wasn't bad enouhg for the Reds, worse was to come: Raul Meireles had to come off injured too with a hamstring on 49 when West Ham were just getting in the modd to score again - Ba putting a sweet shot just wide and forward Frederic Piquionne missing an open header after a corner confusion.
Man of the match Parker and Piquionne broke forward again on 73, 2 v 2, Reina had to come out to the rescue. Just minutes later, the Spaniard spilled Piquionne's shot but was able to recover, just.
It could have been 3, 4 or 5-0 before Luis Suarez made a superb turn and pass on the edge of the box to get the ball across goal for Glen Johnson to have an easy job of tapping it in after total mayhem broke out in the box and getting the Red fans' hopes up of a comeback.
It didn't last long though, just over five minutes, before super-sub Carlton Cole shrugged off Martin Skrtel on the run through to make it 3-1 and three points for the Hammers, a job well and truely done, finished off and completed, getting them off the bottom of the table.
Liverpool meanwhile will have to get their act together, with United as their next opponents, things will get everything else but easier! If they want to get anywhere near or even just closer to the top four that is...
West Ham: Green, Jacobsen, Tomkins, Upson, Bridge, O'Neil, Parker, Noble, Hitzlsperger, Ba (Cole 88), Piquionne (Spector 82).
Subs not used: Boffin, Reid, Boa Morte, da Costa, Hines.
Liverpool: Reina, Kelly (Cole 43), Carragher, Skrtel (booked 7), Wilson, Lucas, Meireles (Ngog 49), Johnson, Gerrard, Kuyt, Suarez.
Subs not used: Gulacsi, Kyrgiakos, Maxi, Spearing, Poulsen.
1st half stats:
West Ham-Liverpool
Attempts: 5-5
On target: 4-3
Offsides: 0-0
Corners: 2-1
Free kicks: 3-6
2nd half stats:
West Ham-Liverpool
Attempts: 11-6
On target: 3-4
Offsides: 0-0
Corners: 4-5
Free kicks: 4-5
Possession:
60%-40% (59.-69.min)
Sky Sports Stats:
West Ham-Liverpool
Possession: 41.6%-58.4%
Passing Success: 75.1%-78.7%
Tackles/Success: 18/72.2%-21/71.4%
Territorial Advantage: 49.7%-50.3%
Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire)
Man of the match: Scott Parker
Sports - Football - Premier League - Chelsea 0:1 Liverpool
Fernando Torres' debut for bitter rivals Chelsea proved fruitless as his former side took all three points at Stamford Bridge, continuing the revival under King Kenny and taking the Reds up to sixth for the first time this season after their fourth consecutive win and clean sheet, whilst Chelsea hover in fourth spot, 10 points behind United at the top, whilst Spurs are creeping up on them behind only on goal difference in fifth.
The Spaniard nearly got a dream start when Maxi Rodriguez passed the ball back to his former team mate a couple of minutes into the game, however, he ended up mishitting the ball over the goal creating no worries for Pepe Reina.
The only other chance for £50m-star-striker, the most expensive player in British football, was blocked off by Jamie Carragher later on in the first half, the Liverpool defender putting his body on the line as always, although just making a comeback from a long term injury (shoulder surgery).
After only 66 minutes Fernando's first blue stint ended disappointing for Carlo Ancelotti when he came off for Ivorian forward Salomon Kalou.
However, things went from bad to worse for the Blues just minutes later when Raul Meireles latched onto Steven Gerrard's cross and put it into the back of the net past Branislav Ivanovic and Petr Cech after the two had clashed and caused confusion not for the first time in the match giving both a game they would like to forget very quickly.
Maxi must have been a very relieved man after he had missed a sitter earlier in the first half, hitting a Gerrard cross against the crossbar, not even six yards outside an open goal.
In the end, Liverpool's organisation, resilience and determination paid off, going without new signing Luis Suarez who stayed unused on the bench, making Chelsea's normally all-too-threatening-and-intimidating-looking front trio of Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Torres look all-too-ordinary, the home side lacking options in width and creativity.
"We have to give Fernando time to adjust to the shape but I think that he will do it quickly," said Ancelotti. "I took him off as, after 66 minutes and a very busy week, it was good for him to come off," he said on the BBC website.
"Fernando has experience, he has confidence and didn't show problems before the game. He was enthusiastic to play, excited, and it didn't show a problem," added the 51-year-old.
Dalglish's take on the Spaniard was to the point, showing he is in the past as the Reds are concerned: "As this football club has always said, the most important people are the people who are at Liverpool Football Club and that is the way it will always be."
Chelsea: Cech; Bosingwa (David Luiz 73), Ivanovic, Terry, Cole; Essien, Mikel (booked 1, Malouda 72), Lampard; Anelka; Torres (Kalou 66), Drogba.
Subs not used: Turnbull, Ferreira, McEachran, Sala.
Liverpool: Reina; Carragher, Skrtel, Agger; Kelly, Johnson, Gerrard, Lucas (booked 74), Maxi (Aurelio 75); Meireles (scored 68:26, Poulsen 84), Kuyt.
Subs not used: Gulacsi, Suarez, Jovanovic, Kyrgiakos, Ngog.
1st half stats:
Chelsea-Liverpool
Attempts: 5-2
On target: 0-1
Offsides: 3-1
Corners: 2-2
Free kicks: 3-3
Possession:
59%-41% (20)
51%-49% (HT)
2nd half stats:
Chelsea-Liverpool
Attempts: 10-2
On target: 1-2
Offsides: 2-0
Corners: 2-0
Free kicks: 3-5
Possession:
49%-51% (80)
52%-48% (FT)
Sky Sports Stats:
Chelsea-Liverpool
Possession: 57.4%-42.6%
Passing Success: 83.7%-78.4%
Tackles/Success: 16/62.5%-21/76.2%
Territorial Advantage: 53.7%-46.3%
Referee: Andre Marriner
Man of the match: Raul Meireles
Sports - Football - Premier League - Wolves 0-3 Liverpool
Raul Meireles' breathtaking strike and Fernando Torres' double earned King Kenny his first win since taking over from Roy Hodgson and returning to his managerial throne at Liverpool as his Reds beat Wolves in an intense encounter at Molineux.
It was sweet revenge over Mick McCarthy's men, after they had beaten a sorry Liverpool side 1-0 at Anfield and ultimately cost Hodgson his job end of December.
Portuguese midfielder Meireles set the tone and mood for the Reds, making run after run, putting Wolves under pressure and turned from provider after 36 minutes with Torres tapping in his pass, to scorer with an impressive stunner, dipping 25-yard volley into the top corner of the net in the 50th minute, leaving Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey help- and hopelessly stranded.
Torres completed the trio of goals and points, smashing the ball into an empty Wolves net after a fine run and cross by Dirk Kuyt.
It was a hard-fought, well-deserved and overdue win for Liverpool which takes them to the top half of the table - at least for the night.
Wolves didn't go down easy. they tried to adopt the same positive anddedicated work and play from their Anfield win, to keep as much of and Liverpool off the ball.
But it didn't work this time round as the Reds seemed to have a different jump or flare about them, hopefully an indication of better mind, form and times ahead!
Wolves: Hennessey; Stearman, Ward, Berra, Zubar; Henry, Hunt (Hammill 72), Jarvis, Milijas; Fletcher, Doyle.
Subs not used: Hahnemann, Craddock, Mouyokolo, Jones, Davis, Vokes.
Liverpool: Reina; Johnson, Agger, Kelly, Skrtel; Meireles (booked 85), Maxi (Aurelio 81), Lucas, Poulsen (booked 4, Shelvey 73); Torres (booked 47), Kuyt.
Subs not used: Gulacsi, Kyrgiakos, Cole, Spearing, Pacheco.
BBC stats:
Wolves-Liverpool
Attempts: 12-15
On target: 5-10
Corners: 5-4
Free kicks: 17-6
Possession: 49%-51%
Sky Sports stats:
Wolves-Liverpool
Attempts: 11-14
On target: 3-9
Offsides: 3-2
Corners: 5-4
Free kicks: 18-6
Possession: 59.2%-40.8%
Passing Success: 70.1%-67.7%
Tackles/Success: 19/63.2%-21/76.2%
Territorial Advantage: 66%-34%
Referee: Martin Atkinson
Man of the match: Raul Meireles
Sports - Football - Premier League - Liverpool 2:2 Everton
Honours ended up all even at Merseyside after Dirk Kuyt's penalty earned King Kenny's men a draw in the derby with Everton, leaving both sides on 26 points, only four points clear of the relegation zone in 13th and 12th place respectively.
Portuguese midfielder Raul Meireles took the lead for Liverpool on 29, driving the ball from 18 yards after Kuyt pulled a double save out of Tim Howard.
It was a deserved lead as Liverpool enjoyed most possession and chances, Dalglish coule be a happy man at half time onhis return to Anfield for the 215th Merseyside derby.
All the optimism changed for the Reds with the kick-off of the second half: Within 43 seconds Sylvain Distin headed in Mikel Arteta's corner at the back post, over Martin Skrtel and past Pepe Reina to make it 1-1.
Just over five minutes later, Jermaine Bedford completed the turnaround, smashing in Leon Osman's pass from close range and making Kuyt's and Fernando Torres' earlier close chances, including a crash against the post, count for nothing and seem meeningless as they weree to the scoreboard.
The guests looked well on top after that, Liverpool's play looking less organised and confident, more disrupted, making David Moyes the much happier since half time.
However, there was another twist in the tale: After all his saves, Howard turned from hero to villain when he clipped the legs of Maxi Rodriguez to bring the Argentine down and concede the penalty which Kuyt converted with cool composure to make the last 20-ish minutes the more interesting, tense and gripping.
Both sides pushed on, sharing chances, shouts and pressure, the result reföecting this fair and square.
Liverpool: Reina (booked 53); Kelly, Skrtel, Agger (Kyrgiakos 46), Johnson; Meireles (scored 28:24, Shelvey 81), Spearing, Lucas, Kuyt (booked 89) (scored penalty 67:21); Torres (booked 63), Maxi.
Subs not used: Gulacsi, Aurelio, Cole, Pacheco, Babel.
Everton: Howard; Neville, Heitinga, Distin (scored 45:38), Baines; Coleman, Fellaini, Arteta, Osman (Rodwell 78); Beckford (scored 51:34, Vaughan 74), Anichebe (Bilyaletdinov 82).
Subs not used: Mucha, Hibbert, Gueye, Baxter.
1st half stats:
Liverpool-Everton
Attempts: 10-4
On target: 6-1
Offsides: 1-0
Corners: 6-4
Free kicks: 7-9
Possession:
65%-35% (20-30 min)
53%-47% (HT)
2nd half stats:
Liverpool-Everton
Attempts: 3-2
On target: 2-2
Offsides: 3-0
Corners: 4-2
Free kicks: 9-9
Possession:
51%-49% (FT)
Sky Sports Stats:
Liverpool-Everton
Passing Success: 77.5%-73.4%
Tackles/Success: 20/90%-25/72%
Territorial Advantage: 48%-52%
Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)
Man of the match: Fernando Torres
Sports - Cricket - 1st ODI - Australia v England - Melbourne
Shane Watson's record score of 161 not out from 150 balls lead Australia to a memorable win completing the highest successful run chase at the MCG and beating England's record total against the hosts Down Under.
England won the toss and chose to bat, skipper Andrew Strauss (63) not making a bad start with a 90 partnership from 12 overs together with Steven Davies (42).
David Hussey then got the breakthrough bowling Davies and seeing Jonathan Trott (6) caught behind by Brad Haddin soon after.
Kevin Pietersen then came to the crease seemingly back to his best scoring 78 from 75 deliveries whilst seeing Strauss, Ian Bell (23), Eoin Morgan (8) and Michael Yardy (9) all falling relatively cheeply, before he himself was run out by Mitchell Johnson, unlucky.
The collapse was completed with the last three wickets falling for only 23 runs with two deliveries remaining of the 50 overs.
Australia responded strong but patient. It was not a bang-boom-bang display, well under England's run rate at times, but disciplined and perfectly timed.
England meanwhile, looked more clumsy and chaotic in the field than usual, missing catches, stumpings, catches and fielding in general.
But no discredit to Watson's display and his superb partnerships of 110 with Brad Haddin (39) and 103 Michael Clarke (36).
Their contributions were just as crucial to Australia's win but Watson was the star of the day, finally getting a century after all his half-century-bit-starts.
England got three wickets during the batting powerplay and their hopes up late on in the match, Clarke and Steven Smith (5) caught on the off-side off Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad respectively before Mike Hussey was caught for 21 by Chris Tremlett off Bresnan.
But the man of the match Watson saw his side through with five balls and six wickets to spare, setting up the series with a win and on a good, competitive, juicy note for the ICC ODI world number one Australia against main rivals (number five) England.
For full summary of the day's action, check out the BBC website.
Sports - Football - FA Cup 3rd round - Man Utd 1:0 Liverpool
Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish had no happy return after seeing his side concede a penalty within half a minute, fall behind within two minutes and then go down to ten men with skipper Steven Gerrard seeing red just past the half-hour mark, all adding up and leading to a 1-0 defeat against their bitter rivals and league leaders Manchester United to kick them out of the FA Cup in the third round leaving the Europa League as the only possibility for silverware this season.
It was King Kenny's first game as caretaker manager, replacing booman Roy Hodgson just a couple of days ago after his 6-month short stint, just over 20 years after his successful reign as Reds manager which included three league titles, two FA Cups and a 4-0 demolition of United which nearly cost Sir Alex Ferguson his job.
So, hopes were not high but better. But a couple of decades on, the men, the teams and the match drew a very different picture.
Dimitar Berbatov went down in the box late after the slightest of semi-tackle-touches by Daniel Agger with hardly half a minute on the clock. Ryan Giggs took the spot kick nice, strong and confident, into the right corner, shaving past a diving Pepe Reina, United could not have wished for a better start.
Liverpool took a bit to come to terms with the early setback but made some fine one-twos, creating some good interplay, Fernando Torres, Maxi Rodriguez and Gerrard coming close whilst United hardly showed up at the other end.
But then it all went from bad to worse for Liverpool: Stevie G. slid in with both feet on Michael Carrick and was given a straight red by World Cup final referee Howard Webb, after a little delay with all the players surrounding him in protest.
In contrast to the penalty, the replays confirmed and made this decision much more clear cut, the skipper had to go.
Down by a goal and a man, Liverpool seemed to get a grip whilst United took more of a step back or the foot off the gas rather than going forward and putting pressure on and taking advantage of the extra man, although they nearly doubled the advantage just before the break when Jonny Evans headed Giggs' corner off the post.
Liverpool showed some fine team work in the second half, Fabio Aurelio pulling a great save out of Tomasz Kuszczak diving and keeping out the strong free kick shot from the top right corner.
Reina didn't have much to do after the penalty, apart from a couple of crazy minutes in the second half when he brilliantly kept out shots by Rafael, Berbatov and Patrice Evra in quick succession.
Liverpool fought on well after that but never got close enough, not quite there. But they can take some encouragement from the second half performance, as at half time many would have predicted a reverse of the last time Dalglish faced and nearly smashed and crashed Ferguson 4-0.
It didn't come to that and now the Reds have to be strong as ever, with their skipper suspended for the next three games including none other than the Merseyside derby - see what Kenny boy can do... Come back from retirement and make a return on the pitch just as he has off it???
Man Utd: Kuszczak; Evra, Ferdinand, Rafael Da Silva, Evans (Smalling 84); Giggs, Carrick, Nani, Fletcher (booked 9, Anderson 62, booked 64); Berbatov, Hernandez (Owen 75).
Subs not used: Lindegaard, Fabio Da Silva, Gibson, Obertan.
Liverpool: Reina; Agger, Aurelio, Kelly, Skrtel; Raul Meireles (Shelvey 60), Gerrard (sent off 32), Maxi (Babel 60), Lucas; Torres (Ngog 77), Kuyt.
Subs not used: Gulacsi, Kyrgiakos, Wilson, Poulsen.
BBC stats:
Man Utd-Liverpool
Attempts: 16-13
On target: 10-5
Corners: 11-3
Free kicks: 7-11
Possession: 42%-58%
Sky Sports stats:
Man Utd-Liverpool
Attempts: 17-12
On target: 9-4
Offsides: 4-2
Corners: 11-3
Free kicks: 7-10
Possession: 62%-38%
Passing Success: 84.1%-72.5%
Tackles/Success: 21/76.2%-32/71.9%
Territorial Advantage: 39.9%-60.1
Referee: Howard Webb
Man of the match: Dimitar Berbatov
Sports - Cricket - Ashes - 5th Test- Sydney - Day 5
Chris Tremlett got the last winning wicket for England, a memorable moment for the bowler, tailender Michael Beer (2) edging the ball onto his stumps and thereby completing England's third win by an innings and 83 runs and 3-1 Ashes thrashing against Australia.
England needed three wickets on the day but had to be patient as the Aussies never give up easy, Steven Smith (54*) with his second Test half century and Peter Siddle (46) with his highest Test score holding out a stubborn partnership of 86 with him and rain interrupting the game on the way.
But England got it all wrapped up before lunch thanks to James Anderson's catch at deep mid-wicket off Graeme Swann to take out Siddle (257-8), followed by the fast bowler's own wicket of Ben Hilfenhaus (7) caught behind (267-9), wicketkeeper Matt Prior's seventh catch of the match and 23rd of the series, and last but not least Tremlett to take the glory of the last wicket and Australia all out for 281, only one run more than in their first innings and still 83 runs behind England's big record bash of 644 the guests completed the previous day.
Alastair Cook got the Man of the Match and Series awards for his record of 766 runs and a massive average of 127.66 this series, which include 82 boundaries (81x4s + 1x6), three centuries including his hit of 189 in Sydney and unbeaten 235 in the opening match draw in Brisbane and two half centuries, which puts him a staggering 196 runs ahead of Mike Hussey in second place on the batting chart.
James Anderson was the bowler of the series with 24 wickets and 50 maidens, seven more wickets than his companion Tremlett, Mitchell Johnson being the top Australian bowler with 15 wickets followed by Siddle with 14 wickets, same as Swann and Steven Finn respectively.
Skipper Andrew Strauss has joined the exclusive list of Sir Leonard Hutton and Mike Brearley to become only the third England captain to win Ashes series at home and away.
Apart from the Waca episode, this series has shown how much work and improvement has gone into the England side and how much has changed since the 5-0 drubbing Down Under 4 years ago. Similar to 24 years ago, their last beating at home, the Aussies will have to rethink and make some major changes to their side if they want to change the downhill trend they have been on over the last couple of years.
Australia v England fifth Test fourth day as it happened:
Highlights taken from the BBC website:
- Australia 213-7: To the strains of "Jerusalem", it's James Anderson to open up, he has two slips and a gully for Steve Smith, who's batting in a sleeveless sweater. Free entry to the SCG today has meant that probably every Brit in New South Wales is there. Anderson is right on the money, Smith blocks out a maiden over.
- Australia 216-7: Chris Tremlett, who bowled quite beautifully yesteday, pings down a bouncer at Peter Siddle, and then has the toothy tail-ender groping outside off stump. Siddle scores the first run of the day when he jams his bat down and the ball squirms away from gully. Smith works a two off his legs, while the National Anthem is sung lustily, conducted by someone in a dress and an Elizabeth II mask.
- Australia 223-7: Cap'n Strauss is chewing gum at first slip, with the look of a hard-bitten Wild West gunslinger waiting to see off some outlaws at High Noon before riding off into the sunset. Tremlett bowls, Siddle gets an edge... but it squirms between third slip and gully, and it was a no-ball anyway. They run two. Ali Cook dons a helmet at short leg, I hope he's cleared space on his mantelpiece for the man of the series award. Siddle pushes a three, he has 24 and that's the fifty stand.
- RAIN STOPS PLAY - Australia 227-7: Siddle is still playing positively, hoicking Tremlett for three with an unorthodox cross-batted heave over the bowler's head. Simon Mann on TMS has noticed some rain... and they're going off! Nooooo.....
- Australia 230-7: Tremlett has to complete his over - two deliveries left. The first is down the leg side, the second is turned off his legs by Siddle... just wide of the man at square leg, and they run a double.
- Australia 252-7: Siddle pushes Swann for a couple of twos, he's on 42 and that's his highest Test score - beating the 40 he scored at Melbourne. "He's definitely got all-rounder potential," notes Vic Marks on TMS.
- WICKET, Siddle c Anderson b Swann 43 (Australia 257-8): Siddle swats Swann to leg, and it's straight down Anderson's throat in front of the Barmy Army at deep mid-wicket! One down, two to go...
- Australia 257-8: Ben Hilfenhaus is the new batsman, but he's not on strike as they crossed on the catch. Andrew the scorer reveals that Ponting and Clarke (combined) average 19.18 for the series, while Siddle averages 19.25.
- Australia 261-8 - NEW BALL AVAILABLE: Hilfenhaus is stout in defence against Bresnan, with three slips and a gully waiting for that edge. Gentle Ben is off the mark with a fluent cover drive for three, Smith moves on to 41 with a single (his highest Test score is 77 against Pakistan at Headingley last year). And the second new ball is available.
- APPEAL - NOT OUT - Australia 266-8 - NEW BALL TAKEN: Interesting move - the new ball is taken, but it's Chris Tremlett rather than James Anderson brandishing the new cherry. Smith heaves towards deep backward square leg, but safely, and they run a single. "I think Hilfenhaus may have a bit of a swish", says Vic Marks on TMS. The big seamer leg-glances a loose delivery from Tremlett for four, and England's lead is now under 100. Hilfenhaus is hit on the pad, there's an appeal... but it looked high. No review (we've not had many in this Test, to be honest).
- WICKET, Hilfenhaus c Prior b Anderson 7 (Australia 267-9): Single from Smith, Hilfenhaus nicks one and Anderson collects his 24th wicket of the series! Start the car - England are one wicket from winning the series!
- SMITH FIFTY - Australia 280-9: Smith rocks back and cuts Anderson for four, that's his second Test fifty from 85 balls. Smith's batting is more artisan than artist, an ugly shot brings him a single, and Beer survives once more.
- WICKET, Beer b Tremlett 2 (Australia 281 all out): The Barmies are still on their feet, Smith smears Tremlett to deep square leg but then refuses to take the single. The youngster is all ugly cross-batted strokes, one of which brings him a single, then Beer is bowled by Tremlett - edging onto his stumps - and it's all over!
CHAMPAGNE MOMENT: ENGLAND WIN FIFTH TEST BY AN INNINGS AND 83 RUNS, AND WIN THE ASHES 3-1!
